Saturday 10 January 2015

Where is the altar ?

What is illustrated in the adjacent photograph? Here we have the sanctuary of a modern Catholic church, place unknown.

Christmas is being celebrated and the Crib is placed on the altar steps with two huge display of flowers behind it.

But where is the Altar?

The desire to assist the devotion of the Faithful to the Christ-child has obscured the real focus of this church in whatever Liturgical Season : the Altar. Instead we have the Altar being used as a sort of backdrop for a devotional tableaux.

The flower arrangements are so massive that the Altar largely disappears from view.

All done with very good intentions ...